The invention relates generally to an apparatus for coupling wheeled vehicles together to permit one vehicle to tow another, and more particularly to a self-lubricating saddle mount for coupling a leading vehicle to a towed vehicle.
Devices for coupling vehicles together for purposes of either towing a disabled vehicle or for shuttling vehicles between multiple locations are well known. Conventionally, a saddle, designed to couple a lead vehicle to a towed vehicle, is coupled to the lead vehicle. In truck applications, the saddle is conventionally mounted to either the fifth wheel, or to the frame of the lead truck. The saddle is then generally coupled to the front axle of the towed vehicle, such that the front axle of the towed vehicle is lifted from the ground, and the towed truck rolls on the rear wheels only. Alternatively, a second saddle can be mounted on a second vehicle by way of a fifth wheel or a frame application. A beam or boom assembly is then used to couple the two vehicles. In these instances, the second/towed is reversed with the rear elevated and the rear wheels lifted from the ground. Such use of a saddle is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,677 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
In towing applications, the towed truck must be able to rotate in a horizontal plane in order to properly follow the lead truck through curves and corners. To assure the ability of the towed truck to track behind a turning lead truck, it is important that the rotating elements of the saddle mount be able to rotate with minimal frictional interference. Therefore, the rotating elements of the saddle mount or saddle mounts must be properly lubricated.
In prior art saddle devices, lubricants such as greases or lubricating oils are intended to be applied directly to the rotating elements. These elements, however, cannot be easily seen or accessed, particularly when the saddle is in use. Maintenance personnel, therefore, frequently apply lubricants to a general area in which the rotating elements are located, rather than to the rotating elements themselves. The process of lubricating the rotating elements is therefore difficult, time consuming, and inefficient. In addition, since lubricants cannot be easily directed to the location in which they are required, significantly more lubricants than would otherwise be necessary are often applied. Furthermore, to maintain proper lubrication, lubricants must be applied often, thereby requiring frequent maintenance and costly time delays.